Trump blamed 'both sides' for Charlottesville attacks and people aren't happy
After bowing to pressure to condemn white supremacists involved in Saturday's violent Charlottesville clashes, Trump then reverted to his initial reaction and blamed "both sides" for the unrest.
4 min read
16 Aug, 2017
US President Donald Trump thinks 'both sides' are to blame for the Charlottesville unrest [AFP]
US President Donald Trump's blame on "both sides" of the Charlottesville clashes between white supremacists and anti-racism protesters is continuing to draw public anger.
Hundreds of torch-wielding white nationalists marched at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville on Friday evening, the day before a planned "Unite the Right" rally in the town billed as the largest gathering of its kind in years.
Some demonstrators made Nazi salutes and shouted "Jews will not replace us" and "white lives matter" as they marched in protest against the removal of a statue of Confederate icon General Robert E Lee.
Saturday's demonstration, which included members of the Ku Klux Klan and a host of white supremacist ideologues, turned violent when protesters clashed with counter-demonstrators challenging the racist and hate-filled rhetoric.
Initially, Trump failed to directly condemn the white supremacists, neo-Nazis and other far-right extremist groups for the violence, including the death of anti-fascism protester Heather Heyer.
Eventually on Monday he succumbed to overwhelming pressure demanding him to personally condemn white supremacists who incited the bloody weekend demonstrations.
But on Tuesday he reverted to his initial reaction, placing blame "on both sides".
"You had a group on one side that was bad. You had a group on the other side that was also very violent. Nobody wants to say that. I'll say it right now."
Twitter had something to say back:
— Alex Hirsch (@_AlexHirsch) August 15, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post
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— Claudia (@theClaudiaInez) August 15, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post
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Trump also said there were "very fine people" on both sides, which didn't make matters much better...
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) August 15, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post
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Some are shocked at the way in which US politics is regressing:
— Matt Haig (@matthaig1) August 15, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post
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People are using this instance to call out those who believe that Trump's peddling of the xenophobic narriative was merely an electoral game:
— Ahmed Baba (@AhmedBaba_) August 16, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post
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— Rep. Barbara Lee (@RepBarbaraLee) August 16, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post
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There were paralells drawn between Trump's discourse and other periods of history:
— Joe Negan (@mynameisNegan) August 15, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post
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— Pin Head (@PiercedSkull) August 16, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post
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But for the most part, people are disgusted. And rightfully so...
— whitney (@idkwhitt) August 16, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post
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— Steve (@Steve_ofPA) August 16, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post
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